Tag: fruit of the spirit
Healthy spiritual fruit!
Scripture reading for August 21: Galatians 5
“But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Galatians 5:18-24
According to Paul, there is a spiritual battle between our human flesh and the Spirit-led life. Human flesh wants to do works and earn or achieve what we want, no matter what our conscience or God’s Word has said. The works of the flesh are evident to all, especially those who are under God’s law and conscience. We know that God has decreed no adultery or immorality to include all kinds of sexual perversions. Violence, murder, fits of anger and all factions and divisions are also warned against. Pride, envy and jealousy are specifically called out as works of the flesh. The law of God warns us that those who do things like these will die and not inherit God’s kingdom.
But God has provided a remedy to those caught in bondage to the flesh and its works of death. He has provided His Holy Spirit to lead us as His children in the fruits of His Spirit. God is love! Love heads the list of character traits growing as we are led by God’s Spirit. Love leads to joy and peace with God and man, overcoming the works of the flesh. We become patient and kind and gentle even to those who violently oppose us. We know that it is God’s goodness that leads us to repentance and so we are good, reflecting our Father. (Romans 2:4) We develop habits of faithfulness and self control and reflect God. Through the Spirit, we crucify the works of the flesh and its passions and selfish desires.
Can you describe a time in your life where you experienced the conflict between the desires of your flesh and the Holy Spirit seeking to produce fruit in your life? How is the cross of Jesus Christ a place of victory in this battle against the flesh? What fruits of the Holy Spirit is God wanting to develop in your life today?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for the indwelling Holy Spirit Who is leading me daily. Fill me with the Spirit today and help me to put to death the works of my human flesh. Let my life be filled with the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Develop the slow-growing fruit of patience and self-control that I often lack. Amen.
In step with the Holy Spirit
Scripture reading for January 31st: Exodus 1-3, Galatians 5
Galatians 5:22-25 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”
In order to live an abundant life now in this world and to enjoy eternal life in the ages to come, God sends us the Holy Spirit to reveal Christ’s life in us. We don’t completely lose our sin nature, but we must continually put it to death by the grace given us through Christ’s death on the cross. We must avoid pride in our own power and ability to avoid sin and be careful not to compare ourselves with others or envy others’ walk. The Holy Spirit resides in us, but does not overpower us. We must humbly listen to His leading and allow Him to produce fruit of Christ’s character. This requires us to walk in daily obedience and follow closely in His steps as He guides us through life’s trials and tests. Like Moses of old, we are required to ‘take off our sandals’–humbly honor the Holy Spirit’s presence and recognize our heart, mind and body are now ‘holy ground.’
Exodus 3:3-5 “And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned. When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, ‘Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then He said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.””
Prayer: Lord God, I remove my sandals again today, symbolizing my own walk in the flesh. I invite the Holy Spirit to produce His fruit in my life and soul and to guide me in His steps today. I want to walk on the holy ground You prepare for me today and go where You send me to bring liberty and freedom to Your people and Good News of the God that calls us by name out of sin’s bondage.
Exodus 3:9-10 “And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.””
Keeping in step with the Spirit!
Scripture reading for August 21st: Galatians 5, Psalm 17, Proverbs 13
Key Scriptures: Galatians 5:22-25 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.”
When the Holy Spirit abides in us and we allow Him to produce His sweet fruit in our lives, there is no need for the law. The Spirit of Jesus is totally obedient to God’s Word and leads us in the desire and ability to keep in step with Him. By His fruit others will know that we belong to God and have reckoned our old man dead, no longer pursuing its passions and desires.
Faith Confession: My old man and fleshly nature is reckoned dead and the Holy Spirit lives in me. His fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control are growing and evident in my life, transforming me into His likeness.
Psalm 17:15 “As for me, I shall behold Your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with Your likeness.”
In step with the Spirit
Scripture reading for August 21st: Psalm 112-114, Galatians 5
Key Scriptures: Galatians 5:22-25 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.”
Paul encouraged the Corinthian believers to keep in step with the Holy Spirit instead of trying to keep the law in their own strength. The Spirit would produce the fruit of life in them whereas the law would bring death and stir up the works of the flesh. If we belong to Christ, we count our old man as crucified with Christ and we step along with the Holy Spirit each day in a life filled with thanksgiving and praise and holy fruit.
Psalm 112:6-8 “For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever. He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord. His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.”
Prayer: Lord, thank You for the Holy Spirit living in me and producing life-giving fruit. My heart is firm and strengthened by trusting in the power of the Spirit. Amen.
Thankful for the Holy Spirit’s Self Control!
Scripture reading for July 20th: Proverbs 25-29
Key Scriptures: Proverbs 29:11, 22 “A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.” . . .”An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered one commits many sins.”
The proverbs give simple truths that stick in our hearts and provide wisdom for wise living. In these and other proverbs concerning anger, believers are warned against allowing anger to take over the spirit. It is foolish to allow our spirit to be consumed by anger because this consuming anger stirs up dissension in a person’s life, a family, a city and a nation. A reputation of being “hot-headed” marks a person as a trouble maker and warns that many sins flow from this character flaw. We see this in our nation today!
Thankful for the fruit of the Spirit: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23) “”In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry and give the devil a foothold.” (Ephesians 4:27-28)
Living with fruit of the Spirit!
Scripture reading for August 22nd: Galatians 5
Key scriptures for over-comers: Galatians 5:22-25 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.”
The New Testament Spirit-filled believer should be marked by fruit of the Holy Spirit. This grows from living and walking in fellowship with Jesus through the Spirit and study of the word of God. Through faith in Jesus’ sacrifice and taking His word as truth, we crucify the flesh and its passions. This is a process called sanctification that is progressive throughout our life on earth. But there are temptations and spiritual warfare in the form of thoughts and imaginations that must be dealt with each day by keeping in step with the Holy Spirit. Conceit, envy, and provoking are common enemies!
Observations for over-comers: Praying in the Holy Spirit and daily study of God’s word will help us over-come the attacks of the sinful nature and Satan. “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. . .” (Isaiah 61:1-2)
Love one another!
Scripture reading for April 22nd: John 13
Key scriptures for over-comers: John 13:34-35 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”
Jesus had washed the feet of His disciples, demonstrating His love and servant’s heart for them. He also predicted that one of those He washed would betray Him and that Peter would deny Him three times! In the midst of this last meal, Jesus gave His disciples a new command: “Love one another!” This command was to be a sign to all men that His followers belonged to Jesus! Love does what is best for another. Love forgives. Love covers sins. Love never fails! The Father’s gift of the Holy Spirit would release a river of God’s love to flow from them! (Romans 5:5)
Observations for over-comers: Loving one another remains the greatest command of Jesus for those who will over-come the world, flesh, and the devil! A river of His love flows in our hearts by the Holy Spirit! “Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.” (Ezekiel 47:12)
Living by the Spirit!
Scripture reading for September 20th: Galatians 5:13-26
Paul’s concern for the Galatians was that they might use their freedom from the law to indulge in the sinful nature! The way of Christ could be summed up in one short command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Galatians 5:14) Living for the flesh would end in confusion, strife, and ultimate division.
“So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with one another, so that you do not do what you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” (Galatians 5:16-18) In order to live by the Spirit, you must have the gift of the Holy Spirit because you have repented of your sins and confessed Jesus Christ as Lord. (Acts 2:38) Prior to conversion, the Holy Spirit draws a person to Christ and convicts them of sin, righteousness and the coming judgment. (John 16:7-11) Following conversion, the Holy Spirit dwells in you to be your Counselor, testifying about Jesus and revealing His word. (John 15:26) When the Counselor leads you into truth, you still must choose to obey and follow. There will still be conflict between the Spirit and the sinful nature!
Paul lists some of the acts of the sinful nature to help these Galatians recognize the conflict. Sexual impurity, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred and jealousy all come from the flesh. Factions, drunkenness, and selfish ambitions are also on his list. Paul warned them that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of heaven! (Galatians 5:21)
Paul also listed the fruit that comes to the person who lives by the Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-24) A consistent choice to live by the Holy Spirit produces fruit that is peaceful and sweet. The person whose life is marked by the Holy Spirit will be totally different than those in the sinful nature. The Spirit produces fruit that fulfills the law without human effort. “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep step with the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:25) This should be our daily choice!
Living by the Spirit!
Scripture reading for September 20th: Galatians 5:13-26
Paul’s concern for these Galatians was that they might now try to use their freedom from the law to indulge in the sinful nature! That way of thinking surely was not from Christ. The way of Christ can be summed up in one short command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Galatians 5:14) Living for the flesh would end in confusion, strife, and ultimate division.
“So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with one another, so that you do not do what you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” (Galatians 5:16-18) Living by the Spirit first means that you have the gift of the Holy Spirit because you have repented of your sins and confessed Jesus Christ as Lord. (Acts 2:38) Prior to conversion, the Holy Spirit draws a person to Christ and convicts them of sin, righteousness and the coming judgment. (John 16:7-11) Following conversion, the Holy Spirit dwells in you to be your Counselor, testifying about Jesus and revealing His word. (John 15:26) When the Counselor leads you into truth, you still must choose to obey and follow. There is also still some conflict between the Spirit and the sinful nature!
Paul lists some of the acts of the sinful nature to help these Galatians recognize the conflict. Sexual impurity, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred and jealousy all come from this flesh. Factions, drunkenness, and selfish ambitions are also on his list. Paul warned them that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of heaven! (Galatians 5:21)
Paul also listed the fruit that comes to the person who lives by the Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-24) A consistent choice to live by the Holy Spirit produces fruit that is peaceful and sweet. The person whose life is marked by the Holy Spirit will be totally different than those in the sinful nature. The Spirit produces fruit that fulfills the law without human effort. “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep step with the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:25) This should be our daily choice!